


At A Safe Distance

by KandiSheek



Series: Stuckony Summer Stocking 2020 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers Movie Night, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Declarations Of Love, Established Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, First Kiss, Flirting, Gay Chicken, Getting Together, Multi, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Bucky Barnes, Pick-Up Lines, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:13:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26329957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KandiSheek/pseuds/KandiSheek
Summary: After Bucky recovers his memories he regains some of his suave, sarcastic persona. He's reassured by how much pull he still has, how easy it is to charm and flirt again.It bugs him more than it probably should when it doesn't work on Tony. At all. Also, if his boyfriend could stop laughing at him for it, that would be great.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Stuckony Summer Stocking 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954048
Comments: 36
Kudos: 717
Collections: Stuckony Summer Stocking 2020, WinterIronShield*





	At A Safe Distance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Faustess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faustess/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [Faustess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faustess/pseuds/Faustess) in the [stuckony_summer_stocking_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stuckony_summer_stocking_2020) collection. 



> This is my fill for Faustess' Stuckony Summer Stocking 2020. I took the pick-up lines prompt and it ran away from me until it was 5k instead of 1k like I had planned. Oh well.
> 
> I hope you (and anyone else who might read this) gets some joy out of this! Have fun reading!

A tinkling laugh rang out through the hall as Ms Everett threw her hair over her shoulder and quirked cherry red lips at him, her eyes burning with an intense desire that Bucky was all too familiar with. “You're lying to me, sergeant.”

Bucky put a hand to his chest with a dramatic gasp that she giggled at. “Miss, if I wanted to lie to you I wouldn't have told you how beautiful you look tonight.”

The woman's eyes twinkled as she leaned forward, granting him a deep look into her décolleté. Not that he let his eyes stray there; he wasn't here for that. “You're a dangerous man, Mr Barnes,” she purred and Bucky kissed her hand with a gallant bow, letting his hair fall charmingly into his face as he looked up at her through his lashes.

“Please. Call me James.”

Somewhere in the distance the pocketbooks of the Maria Stark Foundation jingled.

“You're killing them tonight,” Steve commented when Bucky finally found his way back to the barstool next to him, ordering himself another drink. “Can't say I'm surprised but you actually seem pretty comfortable.”

Bucky shrugged, bumping his hip inconspicuously against Steve's as he turned. It's wasn't that they were trying to hide, not anymore, but they had an unspoken rule of no PDA around the paps. And events like this were always crawling with them. “Yeah, well. Done it lots of times now.”

“Still.” Steve's eyes were warm when he raised his glass to clink it with Bucky's. “Confidence looks good on you.”

Bucky gave him a tiny smile as he took a sip. A couple months ago a comment like that would've made him uneasy but at this point he knew that Steve loved him just the way he was, before and after his conditioning. If anything Bucky was probably more excited than Steve at how much his old personality was starting to resurface. Sometimes in the most unexpected ways.

Bucky had once flirted like he breathed and he was slowly but surely getting his sea legs back. It was a good thing Steve wasn't the jealous type.

Steve chuckled and Bucky gave him a questioning look that Steve smiled at, nodding at something across the room. “Looks like someone's stealing your thunder.”

Bucky didn't even have to look up to know who it was. “He is, huh?”

“Same as ever,” Steve teased and Bucky sighed, silently accepting defeat as he turned to watch.

Tony looked as suave as always, his arm loosely wrapped around a woman's waist as he chatted with another, making her laugh. A third woman handed him a glass of wine that Bucky knew Tony wouldn't drink but still accepted with a smile that made the woman blush.

“The master's at work,” Steve said teasingly and Bucky hummed, watching as the first woman's hand slowly travelled down Tony's back to give his ass a quick squeeze. Tony smoothly stepped aside to dislodge her, grabbing her hand in the same motion to press a kiss to her knuckles, looking deep into her eyes as he did. She didn't seem offended by his subtle refusal. In fact she looked like she wanted to eat him.

“It's like he was born to do this,” Bucky mumbled and Steve nodded.

"He's good at it. Working a room."

Bucky hummed, taking another sip from his glass as he turned his back on the scene. Some people just had that charm, that je-ne-sais-quoi that was hard to emulate. Bucky liked to think he used to be one of those people, but looking at Tony and how effortlessly he managed to draw people in always reminded him of just how much of himself he'd lost to the winter soldier.

"Does it bother you?"

Bucky gave Steve a surprised look. "What?"

"'Cause you seem kind of bothered."

Bucky frowned. "What the hell does that mean?"

“I'm just saying you –“

"Hey there, fellas!" Bucky startled when a hand came down on his shoulder, turning his head just enough to see Tony grinning up at him. "Nice of you to stop by. Did your retirement home postpone their curfew?"

"You're hilarious," Steve said and Tony smirked.

"By the way, Steve, you should say hello to General Hobbes over there. He's gonna piss his pants, he's so excited."

Steve wrinkled his nose. "I can't wait."

Tony laughed, clapping Bucky on the shoulder. "And you, Freezer Pop? Scared any old ladies yet?"

"I'm still perfecting the death glare," Bucky said, throwing Tony his best murder eyes and Tony blinked.

"Well, now I'm just turned on."

Bucky sputtered and broke off coughing, feeling his cheeks heat as Steve and Tony laughed at him. Assholes.

"Oh, Tony, dear! Look at you!"

Tony turned towards the newcomer with open arms. "Rosalie, darling! You made it!" He bent down to kiss her on both cheeks and she giggled – _giggled,_ like a goddamn schoolgirl. The elderly woman looked like she had stepped straight out of a fashion magazine in the sixties, her grey hair done up in a complicated knot. "You look stunning, my dear! Did you try the hors d'oeuvre yet? Come on, I'll fix us a plate and you'll tell me all about your granddaughter. How was her trip to Dubai?"

Tony let her hook her diamond-clad arm through his elbow as he led her away, chatting like old friends. Bucky noticed her hand slipping up to grab his bicep.

"You're staring."

Bucky blinked and turned to see Steve smirking at him. He frowned. "Shut up."

Steve hummed into his glass, not even trying to hide his grin. "He clearly won your little game tonight. Again."

“I'm not jealous,” Bucky said, mentally slapping himself not even a second later. “I mean, I don't care.”

“Sure.” Steve's lips were pursed with repressed laughter and Bucky huffed, turning back to his glass with a frown. He didn't even know why he was so annoyed. Tony Stark might be a billionaire and a genius but when it came to flirting Bucky knew he could keep up with him in more ways than one.

Bucky remembered the reactions he used to get. Women twirling their hair and lowering their lashes with a flirty smile on their bright red lips. A man's heated gaze trailing over his body in dark corners of even darker bars. More often than not whoever he laid eyes on had ended up on his mattress. Or the couch of their apartment, the backseat of his truck, an alley behind the bar –

Point was, Bucky had game. And getting his memory back had restored a lot of that same confidence.

Except when it came to Tony Stark.

Bucky mulishly emptied his glass before he put it down on the bar with a bit more force than necessary.

He wasn't going to let this get to him.

Their competition, as Steve called it, had started sometime after Bucky moved in with Steve and suddenly started seeing a lot more of Tony. The rules were simple. Every time Bucky managed to fluster Tony or have the last word in a conversation he got a point and vice versa. So far Bucky's score was at a whopping zero. Tony was up to twenty-six.

It was petty and childish and completely inside Bucky's head but it haunted almost every interaction he had with the man. Steve thought it was hilarious.

“Clint calls it 'gay chicken',” Steve said, taking another one of Bucky's freshly-made cookies. “Apparently it's a college game. Whatever that means.”

“This isn't a game,” Bucky said and Steve gave him a look right as Tony walked in and joined them on the couch.

“Hey, grandpas. Ready for some action?” Tony asked as he waved a hand at the screen and JARVIS started the movie Tony had apparently picked for the night. Bucky smirked, sensing an opportunity.

“We're always ready for action, Stark,” he drawled lazily but Tony just winked.

“Don't give me ideas. J, dim the lights, will you?”

The movie did not disappoint in the action department. Bucky didn't think he'd ever seen this many explosions in less than half an hour and he'd once set fire to the Ukrainian parliament. But as with many action movies the dialogue made him swallow his laughter every other minute.

“I'm gonna take you to the bank, senator Trent,” Tony said in a fake gravelly voice, making a grimace along with the main character. “To the blood bank.”

Bucky snorted. “Jesus Christ. Why are we watching this?”

“What, you don't like cringy one-liners?” Tony asked with a grin. “Could've fooled me.”

Bucky playfully narrowed his eyes. “What's that supposed to mean?”

Tony smirked. “Last week you threw a grenade and said 'You've got mail'.”

“It's your fault for showing me that movie,” Bucky said as Steve laughed. “And who are you to judge, Mr 'I have a plan: attack'.”

Tony gave Steve a betrayed look. “You told him about that? I thought what we had was special, Capsicle.”

Steve shook his head. “You're as bad as the other, I swear.”

“I resent that,” Bucky said haughtily. “I've never told anyone to 'take a chill pill' unironically.”

Tony glared at him with an amused glint in his eyes. “That was a very clever word play on your frosty ass, Buckster.”

“My frosty ass isn't meant to be played with like that.”

It was out of his mouth before he'd even thought about it and he froze, glancing at Tony to check if he was offended –

But Tony just smirked at him. “Really now? And here I thought Cap had that handled.”

Bucky sputtered and Steve coughed into his drink while Tony just laughed, clapping them on their shoulders. “Sorry, couldn't resist.” He stretched his arms over his head with a groan before he stood up, waving at them over his shoulder. “Been real, guys, but it's getting late. Have a good one!” And with that he was gone.

Bucky looked at Steve who looked back at him. For a second they just stared at each other before Steve grinned mischievously. “Well, he got you there.”

Bucky boxed him in the side. “Shut up and eat your cookies.”

Bucky was good at flirting.

He had to keep reminding himself of that because no matter how he tried to approach Tony, give him a taste of his own medicine, Tony always managed to somehow turn it on him. It was beyond frustrating.

“It's getting kind of pathetic, you know?”

Bucky turned around to glare at Clint who crunched down on a handful of potato chips. “Nobody asked you.”

“Maybe you should.” Clint smirked. “Unlike you I grew up charming the pants off people in _this_ century. Your methods could use an update.”

Bucky knew he was getting baited but he still sighed and sat down on the couch, waving a hand at Clint. “Go on then. What am I doing wrong?”

Clint tapped his lips. “Well. People like Stark, they've heard every pick up line in the book. So you gotta get creative.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow as Clint rolled his shoulders and sat up, tucking his hands in his pockets. Then he cleared his throat.

“Hey, Barnes,” Clint said with a suggestive little eyebrow waggle. “You ever kissed a rabbit between the ears?”

Bucky stared at him silently but Clint didn't falter, just kept grinning at him until Bucky sighed and admitted defeat. “No, of course not.”

“Well.” Clint turned his pockets inside out and pointed at his crotch. “Wanna try right – _ow!”_

“You deserved that,” Natasha said coolly as she sat down next to him, grabbing a handful of chips from the bowl in his lap. “What Clint is trying to say is that you need to catch Tony off guard if you want a reaction.”

“Is that what he's saying?” Bucky asked dubiously and Natasha sighed.

“Let's just pretend that it is.”

Clint snorted.

“So what do I do?” Bucky asked and Natasha shrugged.

“Come up with something. You know him better than I do.”

Did he really? Bucky didn't think he'd really spent that much time alone with Tony. But seeing as Tony was Steve's best friend in the future he hung around their shared floor a lot, watching movies with them or leeching off their homemade dinners. Not that either of them minded.

“I feel like I've tried everything though,” Bucky said, his brow furrowing in thought. “Nothing ever surprises him.”

“You just haven't gotten depraved enough,” Clint said wisely, wincing when Natasha jabbed him in the side.

“I'm pretty sure he's got that covered,” she deadpanned and Bucky thought back to Tony's explanation of what a 'tumbler' was, shuddering at the memory. Yeah, even if he got creative he probably didn't have any lines that could shock someone like Tony.

“Maybe actions are the way to go?”

They all turned to Bruce who was sitting quietly in the corner, turning a page in his book. For a moment they watched him silently before Bucky turned to face him, propping his chin up on his forearm.

“Tell me more.”

Pulling out chairs, opening doors, filling up empty glasses. At least some things had stayed the same.

Bucky tried, he really did, but the cocky little smirk Tony gave him anytime Bucky did anything even remotely gallant showed him just how ridiculous this was. Tony didn't need Bucky to do anything for him.

That was only cemented when Tony got up after dinner one day with a curt “I'm off to the gym” and raised an eyebrow at Bucky who had stood up with him. “You gonna carry my books, Barnes?”

Bucky sat back down quickly enough that it made Tony chuckle, clapping him on the shoulder as he passed. He spent the rest of the meal glaring daggers at anyone who didn't bother concealing their laughter. Which was mostly Steve. Traitor.

And now two days later Bucky was down in the workshop, letting Tony work on his arm and feeling utterly tongue tied. It was a nightmare.

“You okay, Terminator?” Tony asked him eventually, a worried furrow in his brow. “This isn't hurting you, is it?”

“No, it's fine,” Bucky said quickly, glancing down at the open plating of his arm. “Just lost in thought.”

Tony hummed, snipping one of the wires before he replaced it with a new one. “Did something happen? You look a little down.”

Bucky gave him a small smile. “Jeez, you sure know how to flatter a guy, Stark.”

Tony laughed, tucking the wires back in so he could close up Bucky's arm. “Yeah, okay, you're fine.”

“Fine or _fine?”_ Bucky asked with an exaggerated eyebrow waggle and Tony smirked, tightening the last screw before he patted Bucky's metal arm.

“You're always _fine,_ especially with that thing.” Tony started putting his tools away, turning away from Bucky for a moment. “Seriously, take all your shirts and cut the left sleeve off. Thank me later.”

Bucky snorted. “I'm not gonna take fashion advice from you, Stark.”

Tony gasped. "Are you saying you lied when you said you loved my sunglasses?"

"Glasses don't make the man." Bucky smirked cheekily. "And I don't think 'love' is a word I'd use in terms of your clothes." 

“Well,” Tony sighed dramatically, batting his lashes at Bucky. “The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Okay, now he was just fucking with him.

Bucky narrowed his eyes. “I thought you knew love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.”

Tony must have recognized the quote because he smirked. “Obviously you haven't seen yourself.”

“I've seen _you,_ ” Bucky countered, putting a hand to his chest with a mock serious look. “Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service.”

Tony snorted. “Devotion isn't something to toss around lightly, soldier. Though I must say...” He gave Bucky a smoldering look. “You have the power to sway me as you please.”

Oh, that was it.

Bucky stepped right into Tony's space, so close that Tony had to tilt his head back slightly to keep looking him in the eye. He didn't think he imagined the bob of Tony's throat as he swallowed drily. “In all shapes and under the most fearful aspects that appear, I am yours,” Bucky said quietly and Tony's eyes wavered, his smirk slipping ever so slightly, and for a second Bucky almost thought he had him -

“Very good.” Bucky's breathing hitched when Tony touched the very tips of his fingers to Bucky's lips, his face suddenly very close. He could feel Tony's warm breath tickling his ear and it sent a shiver down his spine, his skin tingling when Tony traced the shape of his mouth with a feather-light touch.

“The grace of eloquence is seated on your lips,” Tony murmured, his voice a deep husk in Bucky's ear that made his chest feel tight and his fingers twitch with the urge to _touch_ –

And then he walked away, not even sparing a glance at Bucky who had to steady himself with a hand on the workbench.

Motherfucker.

“You brought this on yourself,” Steve said after laughing at Bucky's recounting of what happened for about five minutes straight. Bucky was surrounded by traitors.

“I never have the last word with him,” Bucky lamented, glaring at Steve's upside down face from where he was hanging off the couch. “How do you do it?”

Steve snorted. “You think I've ever had the last word with Tony?”

“Point.” Bucky righted himself with a groan. “But who ever – Pepper!”

“Uh, I don't think –“ Steve started to say but Bucky was already out of the room, practically running upstairs to get his phone.

Pepper picked up on the second ring. “Is Tony alright?”

“I – what?” Bucky looked at the clock. One in the morning. Shit. “Oh, yeah, sorry, he's fine. I just – I have a question.”

“Oh?”

“About Tony.”

He could hear the rustling of her bedsheets as she sat up. “What did he do?”

Bucky grimaced. “It's not that – look, it's nothing bad, I just. Wanted to ask you how to –“ Shut him up? Not really. What was it that Bucky wanted from Tony? A reaction? Acknowledgement? Or maybe just –

Oh.

“Yes?” Pepper asked suspiciously and Bucky panicked.

“Never mind, sorry for calling,” he said and hung up, wincing as he did. He really hoped she wouldn't tell Tony about this.

“So? Any new tips?” Steve asked as Bucky slunk back into the living room, plopping down face first onto the couch. “I'll take that as a no.”

Bucky mushed his face into the pillows as Steve started stroking his hair, his mind racing with thoughts about Tony. They flirted, yes, but that was just a game, to see who caved first and showed his belly. Nothing more.

But.

“Steve?” Bucky said quietly. “I think I like Tony.”

Steve's hand paused and Bucky's heart hammered against his ribcage as he waited for his response –

“Are you serious?”

Bucky winced, quickly sitting up so he could face Steve. “I don't – I'm sorry, I swear, I would never –“

“You _just_ figured that out?” Steve asked incredulously, looking at Bucky like he was seriously questioning his intelligence. “I thought that was the whole reason you were doing this!”

Bucky blinked.

“Why the hell would I do that to you?” he asked, a little offended. His eyes widened when Steve suddenly blushed, all the way to the tips of his ears. “What?”

“I thought –“ Steve cleared his throat. “I thought that was the point? You and Tony and –“ He made a triangular gesture between them and the door and Bucky gaped at him.

“You – _what?”_

“Only if he wants to of course,” Steve said quickly as if that was the problem. “You seriously – I mean, why else did you do it? I thought you were testing the waters.”

“No!” Bucky blurted and Steve's smile wavered, eyes dimming and oh fuck, Bucky was fucking this up – “Which isn't to say – I mean, I wouldn't be opposed –“

“No.” Steve seemed to steel himself, hands clenching into fists. “I don't want to push you into something you're not sure of. We don't have to do anything.” He smiled lopsidedly at Bucky. “We really should've talked about this, huh.”

“Yeah,” Bucky said lamely and Steve's smile disappeared all at once, making way for something like fear in his eyes.

“You know this doesn't mean I love you any less, right? I'm completely happy with what we have, you're –“

“Shouldn't that be my line?” Bucky interrupted him with a wry smile. “I'm the one who just told you I might be falling for someone else.”

Steve grabbed his metal hand and pressed a kiss to it, making Bucky's heart thump almost painfully in his chest. “Well. I can't fault you for that. Tony is...” He didn't seem to have the words but Bucky understood him anyway.

“Yeah. He is.”

They sat in silence for a moment.

“So... what do we do now?”

Bucky shrugged and Steve sighed, pulling Bucky into his arms. He gladly buried his face in the crook of Steve's neck, breathing him in as Steve stroked his hair.

“Just one question?” Steve asked and Bucky nodded. “Have you ever... I mean, did you ever think about it? The three of us together? Or just Tony?”

 _Neither of those,_ Bucky wanted to say, but now that the thought was in his head...

They'd be lying here, just like this, Bucky cuddling up to Steve on the couch as he usually did, but instead of having his arms full of Steve they would be wrapped around a different body. Black hair tickling his nose and brown eyes looking up at him with that happy shine Tony got whenever he had an idea –

Bucky's arms tightened around Steve. “I didn't, but – I am now.”

“Okay,” Steve said simply, pressing a kiss to Bucky's hair. “That's all I wanted to know.”

“So... have you?” Bucky asked and smiled when he could feel Steve's skin heat up against his.

“I – yes.”

“Huh.” Bucky looked up at him through his lashes. “What kinds of things?”

If possible Steve's face reddened even more as he looked away, clearing his throat. “Just, uh. Things.”

“Me and him?” Bucky asked and Steve made a small noise. Bingo. “Well, we both like attention, I'm pretty sure if it ever came to that we could put on a good show for y–“

He was cut off by a fierce kiss as Steve rolled them until he was pinning Bucky to the couch. Bucky smiled into the kiss, chuckling when Steve pulled away. “I'm guessing you'd like that.”

“You're a menace,” Steve said but the reprimand in his voice was undermined by the smile tugging at his lips. “So. What if I told you that I'd like to try and ask if Tony's interested?”

He sounded a little nervous and Bucky pressed a reassuring kiss to his lips as he thought about it. Him and Steve had always been two halves of the same whole – til the end of the line – so he wasn't at all worried about anything tearing them apart, even if this blew up in their faces. And it couldn't hurt to ask. He didn't think Tony was the type to lord it over their heads if he wasn't interested anyway.

Bucky looked up at Steve's tentatively hopeful face and smiled. “Okay. On one condition.”

Steve clearly already knew he won because he grinned. “Yeah?”

“I want details.” Bucky pulled Steve closer until he could kiss Steve's neck and make him shiver. “Tony and me. What did you imagine?”

Bucky's hair still hadn't recovered from their nightly activities by the time his stylist declared him ready for their press conference the next morning. He was just glad that this one wasn't really about him, mostly an effort to get the avengers some good publicity. Bucky just had to sit there and look pretty.

Luckily he had some practice with that by now.

“Mr Stark, what's your opinion on climate change?”

Bucky tried hard not to roll his eyes.

“It's real,” Tony deadpanned. “Next.”

“Do you think that Oscorp's recent chemical scandal might negatively affect the corporations affiliated with –“

“Boring. Next.”

A journalist in a gray suit raised his hand and Tony pointed at him.

“Is it true that the arc reactor cores that are being installed in chosen locations right now could potentially be weaponized?”

Bucky's eyes snapped to Tony. His brow was furrowed almost imperceptibly, his smile a little tense at the edges as he pushed up his sunglasses.

“No more than any other power source. And the protective casing we've installed it in is at least twice as secure as anything else on the market. You'd need an atomic bomb to make that baby go off and if that happens the bomb will definitely do more damage than the reactor.”

“So there is no potential for harm?” the reporter asked insistently and now Tony looked a little more obviously annoyed.

“There is potential for harm in kitchen forks. We still use them every day.”

“Still, given your history with your creations going berserk, can you truly say that these reactors are safe?”

Bucky gritted his teeth, glaring at the reporter who had the gall to look like he was having fun needling Tony like this.

Tony straightened his back, pulling the mic closer to himself. “In the light of what happened in recent years I can understand the public's concerns, however –“

“Are you planning to do something about it? A lot of our readers have stated that they would be scared to work in a place that got 'upgraded' by a man like you.”

Tony opened his mouth to respond but before he could Bucky grabbed the nearest mic and pulled it up to his mouth.

“Tony Stark is changing the world for the better. He's one of the kindest, most compassionate men I've ever met and I won't stand for anyone undermining how much good he has done.”

The reporter looked at him quizzically but when Bucky kept glaring at him he didn't comment further. Bucky leaned back in his chair with a decisive huff, ignoring Steve's eyes on him as he turned to see if Tony was alright –

And found Tony staring at him, mouth open. His eyes were probably wide under his sunglasses. Bucky's heart started pounding in his chest and it took him a moment to realize that Tony was actually _speechless,_ holy shit, Bucky had done it –

“Any news regarding the new Starkphone release?”

And just like that Tony got back to it, his professional camera smile ready on his lips. Bucky's heart didn't stop racing until the conference was over.

He'd made Tony hear him.

Bucky could tell Tony didn't expect them in the workshop later that day but the surprise lasted only for a moment before he gave Steve and him a genuine smile, eyes darting between them.

“Evening, fellas, what can I do you fo–“

“I like you.”

Tony's mouth snapped shut and Bucky reveled in the shock on his face as he stepped forward. “You're brave and amazing and wonderful and I want to date you.” He nodded at Steve. “This guy too.”

Steve punched him in the shoulder but Bucky barely felt it as he kept watching Tony, intent to catch every emotion as it flitted over his face before Tony settled on careful neutrality.

“Well, congratulations, terminator,” he said with a faint smile. “You got me. Can we stop playing no–“

“I'm serious.”

Again Tony choked on the rest of his sentence, his eyes substantially wider than before. He quickly schooled his expression into a smirk though.

“Yeah, okay. You've had your fun, I don't –“

Bucky took a step forward and Tony gulped visibly, head tilted back to keep looking at Bucky's face now that he was standing so close. “Me and Stevie would like to take you on a date. If you want to.”

Tony's eyes flickered over to Steve and whatever he saw there must've made it sink in that this was real because he suddenly flushed, looking more shocked than Bucky had ever seen him. It felt like a soothing balm to Bucky's ego. “Seriously, if this is just another part of this weird gay chicken thing we've been doing I gotta tell you, Barnes, this is a really low blo–“

He was cut off by Bucky stepping into his personal space and putting a hand on his neck. Tony's breathing hitched and he looked up at Bucky with something like apprehension that smoothed out into incredulity as Bucky ran his thumb along Tony's jaw. There was a moment where they just stared at each other and in the end Bucky didn't even know who moved first, only that from one second to the next his lips were on Tony's and he tasted so good that his heart fluttered with nervous excitement –

He was brought out of his reverie by Steve who made a small noise that sounded unbearably loud in the silence of the workshop. Tony immediately pulled away, both hands raised and eyes wide as he backed up. “Oh shit! I'm sorry, Steve, I didn't –“

“Wow,” Steve breathed, stepping closer to grab both Tony's and Bucky's necks and gently urge them back together. “Can you do that again? Kiss him harder, Buck, c'mon.”

Bucky's eyes narrowed in challenge but it seemed Tony was one step ahead of him this time, grabbing Bucky's face and diving in for more, the quick swipe of his tongue almost making Bucky's knees buckle.

He held his own for a few seconds until Tony did something complicated with his tongue that sent sparks all the way down Bucky's spine and made him moan helplessly. Tony immediately pressed his advantage, kissing him like they were fucking, exploring every corner of Bucky's mouth to find his sensitive spots. Bucky held on for dear life, so lost in the kiss that he only noticed Steve's heavy breathing when it was right next to his ear and Steve's arms wrapped around him from the side.

“Fuck, that's so hot,” he heard Steve say and then Tony moaned, pulling away just a little. Bucky opened his eyes to watch their lips meet for the first time, not quite prepared for how much the sight of them made his blood pump faster.

Steve moved away from Bucky to pull Tony against his front and Bucky stepped around them so he could mold his chest to Tony's back. He ran his palms up and down Tony's sides, taking the time to squeeze Steve's hands where they were holding on to Tony's hips before he wrapped his arms around Tony, pressing kisses to the side of his neck. Tony's answering moan was like music to his ears.

“Just to be clear,” Tony gasped against Steve's lips. Bucky could feel the way Steve shivered at that. “You want a threesome? One night only? Or do you –“

“We were kind of hoping you'd give us a chance at more,” Steve said bluntly and Tony swallowed, his eyes clouded with lust as he looked from Steve to Bucky. God, he was beautiful.

“You sure? I mean, I'm probably –“

“Whatever you're about to say, don't.” Tony's mouth snapped shut and Bucky ran a hand through his hair. “We want you. The only question is if you want us too.”

Tony swallowed hard. “This could be a very bad idea,” he said quietly but Bucky's heart soared at the tentative hope in his voice. That didn't sound like a no.

Steve grabbed Tony's chin and tilted his head up so Tony had no choice but to look at him. “It could also be a good idea.”

“ _Very_ good idea,” Bucky mumbled against Tony's neck. “Best I've ever had really.”

Tony tipped his head just enough to kiss him again and Bucky almost whimpered at the way their tongues tangled when Tony pulled away. Tony smirked.

“Well,” he said and Bucky's hands twitched at the heated look Tony gave him. “I can think of a few more.”


End file.
